Pack, purchase and nick off ( sorry couldn't think of another p word) via a short train ride to a place called Lutzelbourg, it is about half an hour out of Strasbourg where we pick up our little canal boat which is to be our home for the next five nights. It is 11 metres in length with an internal steering cabin connecting onto the rear kitchen. At the bow a double bed then toilet / shower wet area and in the middle another double with a single so we are snug as a bug in a rug - only problem it is very hot.

The joys of canal boating, the pace of life really slows right down and that is saying something for us . We hit the highlights right off the bat, first lock 100 metres into the trip. This is going to be a soda as all the locks work automatically, you wait until the light turns green then enter, steady the boat and the rest is history. Then a tunnel - all 2.8 klms of it so takes between 10 - 15 minutes depending on speed, the Don at the wheel so only the 10 minutes. Settle into the routine of life on the water. The canals are reasonably wide so no trouble passing at this point.

We reach one of the most fantastic feats you will come across, jezz these engineers are smart, more homework, I want you to look up The inclined plane at Arzviller. This contraption was built to take out 17 locks and reduce travel time on the water. Before it took 8 hours to go through 17 locks, now only 20 minutes for the whole operation. It is a tourist attraction in its self.

So what is it - it is a giant bath tub that you enter, it is then sealed at each end and then lifts the whole thing up in our case at 45 degrees from bottom river level up 45 metres to the new canal way above . The bath tub filled with water and us weights 850 ton. It is just amazing, such a wonderful feat and a totally unique experience. Hard to wipe the grins from our faces.

Cruise on just a little further and then pull in to enjoy the late afternoon as very warm, the best part of the day tends to be between 4 - 7, at least the sun full and still offering more fine conditions. Not dark until very late so plenty of time on our hands. Believe it is a Sunday afternoon and have been told very little open in any of the villages around us. Once settled the Don and I set off to see if we can build on our provisions for the evening, plus the girls want more wine ( well we may as well take the opportunity to stock the ale department as well). This village does not look far on paper so off we go, you know how it is - just around the next bend and the another and another. Half hour later we chat to people for directions to the village, they tell us by sign language as they all seem to speak french in these parts that this is it!

The Don, being such a linguistic expert points to his empty bottle of beer, they reply ahh, la Biera and send us down the road some more . We see the sign and quicken the pace to a bar come cafe come scary place really. We find that everything is closed except them and the travelling mobile pizza van set up across the road. Well no food but at least the beverage side will be covered - wrong wrong wrong.

In Italy one can purchase alcoholic beverages from food vans, the butchers, coffee shops, ice cream vendors, also believe it or not at petrol stations all at any time on any day. So without any thought asked to purchase some from the local pub, sounds reasonable enough doesn't it. Sorry we can only sell you the stuff if you consume it on the premises, no take always from any licensed hotel in France. Sorry France, big mistake but we saw the funny side of our predicament as much as we saw the stupidity of it as well, as it was hot and we were dry so make hay with a few very large Pieras in quick fashion, believe we are the first Aussies to grace the place.

Not walking back, or is that now unable to walk back, no taxis naturally so I negotiate with the publican, his wife will drive us back to the canal for 10 euro - good coin for her but well worth it for us. At least we had yet another tale to tell, lucky the girls had started dinner as we are now looking for food big time, we finish their prep work and nosh with risotto. All good but the Don talking a new language that we find difficult to comprehend!

His rehab on the tender shoulder was also put back a tad when he went A over T in the spaciousness of his bedroom hallway - he with tears of pain, our tears of laughter. We sleep well after a good boat cooked meal and a great starting day on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin ( fancy name that for a stretch of water).